While the boys’ basketball season ended with a disappointing 82-68 loss to Sacramento Waldorf on Feb. 27, the team advanced to the second round of the playoffs. 

Strong late-game defense and two clutch free throws by junior Robbie Lemons in the final seconds of the first-round home game against 10th-seeded Brookside Christian lifted the Cavs to a 67-66 victory, Feb. 25.

“I shot a lot of free throws before, and these were no different,” Lemons said.

Down by one point with 25 seconds left, the Cavs got the ball back when sophomore Angel Anguiano forced a traveling violation against Brookside. The team then was able to get the ball to Lemons, who was fouled, leading to the free throws.

Brookside had two more possessions after that. The Cavs forced another travel with two seconds left, and after senior Edek Sher missed the front end of a one and one, the inbound pass was knocked away, and the fans stormed the court.

Two days later, the seventh-seeded Cavs traveled to second-seeded Waldorf as huge underdogs, bringing a large contingent of students, teachers, and parents. The Waves had blown out the Cavs 74-39 in a preseason game.

In the early going, it looked as if the rematch would end with a similar result. The Waves successfully shut down Lemons early on, jumping out to a 30-8 lead. But the Cavs settled down, pulling to within 15 at halftime, and were still confident they could compete.

“They hit us with their best, and we knew if we were patient, we could come out and challenge them,” Lemons said.

Coach David Ancrum helped inspire the team in the locker room.

“I told them that we belonged,” he said. “We just had to start playing like it.”

The team came out of the locker room on fire. Lights-out shooting from Lemons, who took over, scoring 29 of his 33 points in the second half, Anguiano, and senior Miles Bennett-Smith brought the Cavs to within one point.

The game stayed close into the final quarter, but the Cavs doomed themselves with fouls. 

Bennett-Smith and Anguiano both fouled out, Lemons got tired, and Waldorf’s superior inside strength became evident as they dominated the glass and repeatedly got to the foul line.

The Waves pulled away, scoring 30 points in the final quarter, and advanced to the semifinals.

“We had them, but then they realized they had to step it up, and we didn’t,” senior Edek Sher said.

But Ancrum praised the team for their effort, something he had not seen in previous years.

“I’m very proud of them because they competed,” he said. “Teams a couple of years ago would have given up down by 10, but this team knew they were just a few baskets away from a tie game.”

The league schedule will be tougher next year. Games against Global Youth and Buckingham Charter–against whom the Cavs are a combined 0-10 over the previous three seasons–will count towards playoffs, but the returning players feel they will be capable of going deeper into the postseason.

“It’s going to be tough, but if everyone gets better, I think we’re capable of winning the section,” Lemons said.

College prospect Lemons will return, along with starters Anguiano, sophomore big man Richard Walter, and junior Austin Karp. 

Bennett-Smith, who provided the team with athleticism and energy, will graduate, but the team is excited about the strong incoming freshman class, a number of whom already train with Ancrum. 8th-grader James Trische, who already stands at 6’1”, will see significant playing time his freshman year, along with Bennett-Smith’s brother, Morgan.

Waldorf, meanwhile, fell 54-46 to third-seed Forest Lake Christian in the semifinals. Bradshaw Christian, with whom the Cavs competed in Sacramento Metropolitan Athletic League play, then beat the Falcons 55-52 for the section title.